1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices used to keep persons away from the swing radius of cranes and similar vehicles, and more particularly to such devices that can be attached directly to the outriggers used to stabilize the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
In many construction sites employing the use of cranes, pickers, and similar vehicles, many persons use barricade tape to establish a safety perimeter around the vehicle. The tape is most often wrapped around cumbersome cones or barrels, which is a tedious process, unsuitable in many instances, and not in compliance with applicable federal safety regulations, such as those promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA). Applicable regulations affecting such situations can be found at U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Chapter XVIII, Part 1926, Section 1926.550 Cranes and Derricks, Subsection (a), paragraph (9), reading: “Accessible areas within the swing radius of the rear rotating superstructure of the crane, either permanently or temporarily mounted, shall be barricaded in such a manner as to prevent an employee from being struck crushed by the crane.” Similar regulations are also provided at Section 1926.1424 regarding work area control.
The present invention is designed to establish a safety barrier around such vehicles such that persons in the vicinity will be aware of the potentially hazardous conditions near the vehicle. It is not possible to completely prevent persons from entering the established perimeter and becoming injured, but the safety barrier provides a prominent visual warning that such danger exists within the swing radius of the crane.
As will be understood, cranes and pickers are not always stationary, and they are often moved around a construction site to attend to tasks several times during the day. It can be quite inconvenient, and expensive in terms of man-hours, to dismantle and re-establish make-shift barricades, especially when barrels and other large objects are used around the crane. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a safety barrier which may be stored on the crane, readily constructed by the operator of the crane when needed, and moved along with the crane outriggers when the crane must move to another location.
What is needed is a safety barrier for cranes that avoids the use of heavy barrels or drums to retain barrier tape, and avoids having to drive stakes or rebar into the ground around the location of the crane. The invention should also avoid the use and movement of heavy barricade stands customarily employed. By defining a safety perimeter using the present invention, one can also avoid barricading off large areas which may conflict with the movement requirements of nearby workers at the site. The invention should be lightweight, highly portable, less expensive than prior methods, and quick to set up by the crane operator.